Help with identification and stocking American Cichlids

[Hidan]

One more question is it normal for severums to be hiding when they see me unless it’s feeding time.

Yes and no. Small cichlids are usually more shy as in nature they have to hide from predators. Also often the position of the tank is what spooks them. If the tank is higher, in a well lit area of the room and they can see you coming from a distance they don't hide, however if its lower and they can't see you until you reach the tank (usually tanks placed to be visible when someone sits on a sofa or chair, they will often hide as they can't really see you, rather only sense movement.

My hoplos are very crazy at feeding time

Should not be a problem as long as you are feeding all of them adequate food. Cichlids apart from really aggressive one's usually ignore catfish and usually only consider other cichlids competition.

I took the geophagus Braziliensis that was the tough guy of the other tank and put him in with the firemouth.

I wouldn't suggest moving these fish around too much. They usually establish pecking orders in a tank, which reduces aggression. When you add a bully to the new tank, once he gets comfortable in that tank, he might fight those firemouths to become the tank boss of this tank.
Just accept that a cichlid tank will have some aggression & chasing. So unless the other fish are always in a corner of the tank or in some hiding place and don't swim around (that is when you have to take action), it usually means the fish are getting along just fine.

 

[Hidan]

One more question is it normal for severums to be hiding when they see me unless it’s feeding time.

Yes and no. Small cichlids are usually more shy as in nature they have to hide from predators. Also often the position of the tank is what spooks them. If the tank is higher, in a well lit area of the room and they can see you coming from a distance they don't hide, however if its lower and they can't see you until you reach the tank (usually tanks placed to be visible when someone sits on a sofa or chair, they will often hide as they can't really see you, rather only sense movement.

My hoplos are very crazy at feeding time

Should not be a problem as long as you are feeding all of them adequate food. Cichlids apart from really aggressive one's usually ignore catfish and usually only consider other cichlids competition.

I took the geophagus Braziliensis that was the tough guy of the other tank and put him in with the firemouth.

I wouldn't suggest moving these fish around too much. They usually establish pecking orders in a tank, which reduces aggression. When you add a bully to the new tank, once he gets comfortable in that tank, he might fight those firemouths to become the tank boss of this tank.
Just accept that a cichlid tank will have some aggression & chasing. So unless the other fish are always in a corner of the tank or in some hiding place and don't swim around (that is when you have to take action), it usually means the fish are getting along just fine.

 

[Nikkijas]

The fish wouldn’t come out because of the Braziliensis, 4 small fish in a 40 breeder for a short time. He did own the tank, it may have been a bad idea to move him but the fish left in the tank now greet me at the front of the tank. The Braziliensis and the firemouth are not happy in their tank. The firemouth will not leave him alone so now what should I do if they are still going at it tomorrow? Would more dither fish work? I need this 210 to get here soon. I want these guys to have more space and not have 7 tanks all over the house. Lol they will all do much better with the all the space I believe!

 

[Hidan]

The fish wouldn’t come out because of the Braziliensis,

Given they are now coming out, means they were being badly bullied, which makes your decision was a wise one.

e Braziliensis and the firemouth are not happy in their tank. The firemouth will not leave him alone so now what should I do if they are still going at it tomorrow

Hopefully they will have decided who is the tank boss by tomorrow. If the Braz is still being chased tomorrow, give him a few hiding spots until the 210 shows up.

As for the 210, as long as you add in enough hiding spots and things that block the fish line of sight (rocks, wood etc), they should all have plenty of space to not fight too much.

With cichlids you just have to watch them and act only if it seems that the tank boss still insists on fighting even after every other cichlid has accepted him as the boss. In which case he just has a hyper aggressive personality and might have to be returned to the store. As people here will tell you every cichlid is different, we have had cichlids who are supposed to kill everyone, happily live in community tanks, while occasionally have cichlids who are supposed to be peaceful breeds who will kill everything else. So its often watch and learn your fish's personality.

 

[Nikkijas]

I certainly will keep an eye on them. The firemouth at this point has not stopped nipping the Braziliensis and chasing him every time he sees him. There are so many hiding places but the firemouth always finds him. I will see how it goes today!

 

[Gourami Swami]

At the end of the day, I think no matter how many hiding spots you put, the tanks we keep these fish in are only a puddle compared to the territory they've adapted for millions of years to live in. And sometimes they just don't want to share the small space.
I think in the 210 you should have less issues

 

[Nikkijas]

I hope so. I know you said not to remove the Braziliensis but he was at the top of the tank and I kept checking and if he went down and the firemouth would bite his fins and chase him. Nothing worked! I mean I am not sure if this tank could have more hiding places. It is just a mess, so I apologize how it looks but I wanted to try everything!